Carlos Vinicius hailed as game-changer by Jose Mourinho on Premier League debut
After a long wait, Tottenham summer signing Carlos Vinicius finally made his Premier League for the club when he came on as a substitute against West Bromwich Albion at the Hawthorns on Sunday.
The Brazilian joined the Lilywhites on a season-long loan deal from Portuguese giants Benfica, with an obligation to make the transfer permanent next summer. And while he hasn’t been exactly a regular in the side, the striker has shown glimpses of quality and ability each time he has taken the field.
Vinicius hadn’t been involved in any of our Premier League games so far this season. But the 25-year-old finally got his chance on Sunday when he came on for Moussa Sissoko for the final 15 minutes or so.
The Brazilian’s arrival gave the stubborn West Brom rearguard an added danger to deal with, as the striker almost scored with a fine strike, only to see his shot saved by Sam Johnstone.
His presence also allowed Harry Kane more freedom to move about in the final third, which eventually paid off when the England captain headed home Matt Doherty’s cross in the 88th minute to win the game for Spurs.
And Mourinho, speaking after the game to the club’s website, spoke of the impact that the Brazilian had made, which played a key role in the win.
“Then the moment arrived where I felt it’s time to bring Vinicius, to change the structure a little, to give them a different problem than they had until then. With Vinicius, Harry became a little more free and he got that space to score the winning goal.”
⏱️ @HKane's 150th @premierleague goal came at the 𝗣𝗘𝗥𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 time! 🙌#THFC ⚪️ #COYS pic.twitter.com/QFhlDSEVdh
— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 8, 2020
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Vinicius made his debut for Spurs in the Europa League clash against LASK last month and made an immediate impact, grabbing a pair of assists. With games lined up thick and fast post the international break, the 25-year-old should get more playing time and we’ll get to see the best of him as he plays more and more.